The Passersby
Encyclopedia
"The Passersby" is an episode of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone
.
a Confederate Army Sergeant (James Gregory
), apparently wounded in battle, walks down a road aided by a wooden crutch. He carries with him a dirty bed roll and an old guitar. As the Sergeant limps along he sees a house. Once beautiful, the house and yard show obvious signs of the war; there is debris in the yard, and a large, dead tree stands in front of the house. It had once provided shade for its owners; now it stands there as evidence of the former beauty of the property. This is the house of Lavinia Godwin (Joanne Linville). whose husband has gone off to fight in the war.
The Sergeant, seeking water and a place to rest, receives permission from Lavinia refresh himself at the well, and then to sit on a bench under the dead tree. The Sergeant plays his guitar, singing a song that Lavinia identifies as a one that her husband used to sing. They talk while he plays the guitar, and watch as the steady stream of soldiers, both Union and Confederate, pass by the house and continue on down the road. The Sergeant learns that Lavinia has been very ill, and that Lavinia's husband has died; he was killed in the war. The Sergeant and Lavinia interact with others who are traveling on the road, soldiers whose conversations and behavior imply that they are more than just wounded men.
The Sergeant begins to realize that this is not a normal road, and these are not just wounded soldiers. He tells Lavinia that there is something down at the end of the road, and that he has to find out what it is. As the Sergeant turns to leave Lavinia moves in front of him, and tries to persuade the him to stay. Suddenly they hear a man's voice singing a familiar song. The man is Lavinia's husband, Jud.
Jud tells her that everyone on that road is indeed dead - including her. Lavinia refuses to believe that it is true. Jud tells her that there is nothing left for him in that house. Insisting that she is alive, Lavinia pleads with Jud to stay. Jud refuses, and disregarding her pleas he leaves. As he leaves, Jud tells Lavinia that he will be waiting for her at the end of the road. Lavinia cries out to her husband, imploring him to stay. Dropping to her knees on the now deserted road, she begs Jud to come back. Then she hears a soft voice speaking to her in greeting; it is a lone passerby, Abraham Lincoln
. He tells her that he is the last man on that road. Frightened, Lavinia backs away from him. Finally though, she accepts her fate, and runs to join her husband. who can now be seen waiting for her at the end of the road, shrouded in fog. Lavinia joins her husband there, and they walk into the fog. They are followed by Lincoln, who walks slowly toward the end of the road...the last casualty of the Civil War.
is featured prominently throughout this episode.
Elements of the episode are re-made in an episode of the 2002 revival named, "Homecoming
". In this episode, a soldier returns from Iran to repair his relationship with his son. We find out that the soldier is dead.
The Twilight Zone (1959 TV series)
The Twilight Zone is an American anthology television series created by Rod Serling, which ran for five seasons on CBS from 1959 to 1964. The series consisted of unrelated episodes depicting paranormal, futuristic, dystopian, or simply disturbing events; each show typically featured a surprising...
.
Synopsis
At the end of the Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
a Confederate Army Sergeant (James Gregory
James Gregory (actor)
James Gregory was an American character actor noted for his deep, gravelly voice and playing brash roles such as McCarthy-like Senator John Iselin in The Manchurian Candidate , the audacious General Ursus in Beneath the Planet of the Apes, and loudmouthed Inspector Luger in Barney Miller...
), apparently wounded in battle, walks down a road aided by a wooden crutch. He carries with him a dirty bed roll and an old guitar. As the Sergeant limps along he sees a house. Once beautiful, the house and yard show obvious signs of the war; there is debris in the yard, and a large, dead tree stands in front of the house. It had once provided shade for its owners; now it stands there as evidence of the former beauty of the property. This is the house of Lavinia Godwin (Joanne Linville). whose husband has gone off to fight in the war.
The Sergeant, seeking water and a place to rest, receives permission from Lavinia refresh himself at the well, and then to sit on a bench under the dead tree. The Sergeant plays his guitar, singing a song that Lavinia identifies as a one that her husband used to sing. They talk while he plays the guitar, and watch as the steady stream of soldiers, both Union and Confederate, pass by the house and continue on down the road. The Sergeant learns that Lavinia has been very ill, and that Lavinia's husband has died; he was killed in the war. The Sergeant and Lavinia interact with others who are traveling on the road, soldiers whose conversations and behavior imply that they are more than just wounded men.
The Sergeant begins to realize that this is not a normal road, and these are not just wounded soldiers. He tells Lavinia that there is something down at the end of the road, and that he has to find out what it is. As the Sergeant turns to leave Lavinia moves in front of him, and tries to persuade the him to stay. Suddenly they hear a man's voice singing a familiar song. The man is Lavinia's husband, Jud.
Jud tells her that everyone on that road is indeed dead - including her. Lavinia refuses to believe that it is true. Jud tells her that there is nothing left for him in that house. Insisting that she is alive, Lavinia pleads with Jud to stay. Jud refuses, and disregarding her pleas he leaves. As he leaves, Jud tells Lavinia that he will be waiting for her at the end of the road. Lavinia cries out to her husband, imploring him to stay. Dropping to her knees on the now deserted road, she begs Jud to come back. Then she hears a soft voice speaking to her in greeting; it is a lone passerby, Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
. He tells her that he is the last man on that road. Frightened, Lavinia backs away from him. Finally though, she accepts her fate, and runs to join her husband. who can now be seen waiting for her at the end of the road, shrouded in fog. Lavinia joins her husband there, and they walk into the fog. They are followed by Lincoln, who walks slowly toward the end of the road...the last casualty of the Civil War.
Episode notes
The traditional folk song 'Black Is The Color (Of My True Love's Hair)'Black Is the Colour (Of My True Love's Hair)
"Black Is the Colour " is a traditional folk song first known in the Appalachian Mountains region of the United States in 1915, but most probably originating from Scotland, as attributed to the reference to the Clyde in the song's lyrics...
is featured prominently throughout this episode.
Elements of the episode are re-made in an episode of the 2002 revival named, "Homecoming
Homecoming (The Twilight Zone)
"Homecoming" is the forty-second episode of the science fiction television series 2002 revival of The Twilight Zone. The episode aired May 7, 2003 on UPN.- Opening Narration :- Synopsis :...
". In this episode, a soldier returns from Iran to repair his relationship with his son. We find out that the soldier is dead.